Process for encapsulating multi-phase, multi-compartment capsules

Abstract

An encapsulation process for forming a multi-compartment capsule. The process comprising the steps of: (1) providing a primary capsule having a base and a cap; (2) providing a secondary capsule having a base and a cap; (3) introducing at least one ingredient having a first physical state (i.e., solid, liquid, gas or dispersion) into a receiving chamber within the internal periphery of the secondary capsule; (4) positioning the cap of the secondary capsule into a sealing relationship with the base of the secondary capsule; (5) introducing at least one ingredient having a second physical state (i.e., solid, liquid, gas or dispersion) into a receiving chamber within the internal periphery of the primary capsule; (6) introducing the secondary capsule into the internal periphery of the primary capsule; and positioning the cap of the primary capsule into a sealing relationship with the base of the primary capsule. The ingredients introduced within the primary and secondary capsules comprise at least one active ingredient or medicament (e.g., pharmaceutical, biotechnical, nutraceutical, vitamin, dietary supplement, mineral or combination thereof). The component parts of the multi-compartment capsule may include various time-release coatings to facilitate release of active ingredient(s) or medicaments at different rates. The capsular cap may be configured in such a manner or a filling material may be introduced into the cap to substantially reduce any potential dead space volume within the capsule, thereby minimizing the opportunity for reaction between an air bubble and one or more of the active ingredients introduced into the capsule.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60 / 371,448, filed Apr. 10, 2002, and entitled "INTEGRATED CAPSULE DELIVERY APPARATUS AND METHOD," which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUNDTHE FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002] The present invention relates to delivery of active ingredients or medicaments and, more particularly, to novel capsular delivery apparatus and methods for delivering one or more active ingredients or medicaments having diverse physical states (e.g., solid, liquid, gas or dispersion) into a single dosage, multi-compartment capsule.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003] As appreciated by those skilled in the art, the contemplation, design, testing and manufacture of chemicals and biomolecules for administration to humans and animals, as nutritional or therapeutic agents, requires a thorough integration of clinically contemplated delivery principles and modalities. Chemicals and biomolecules that ma...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0020] It is also an object of the present invention to provide novel integrated capsule delivery apparatus and methods which facilitate various desirable properties including, for example, controlling time-release of key active ingredients or medicaments, prolonging shelf-life of the active ingredients or medicaments, improving palatability, reducing overall production costs and, accordingly, reducing the number of capsules consumed by a patient or consumer as nutritional or therapeutic agents.

[0036] It is further contemplated herein that a multi-compartment capsule of the present invention may comprise component parts of the capsule having various time-release coatings to facilitate the release and ultimately the absorption of those active ingredients introduced into the different receiving chambers of the multi-compartment capsule to release at different release rates. In particular, a primary capsule may be formed having a conventional time-release coating that dissolves and releases the active ingredient(s) contained therein before the timed-release of the active ingredient(s) contained within a secondary capsule. Likewise, the dividing walls disposed within the internal periphery of the base of a capsule may be formed having conventional time-release coatings that dissolve and release the active ingredients within each receiving chamber defined by the dividing walls at different rates, thereby delivering the active ingredients or medicaments contained within a multi-compartment capsule at different rates. Certain active ingredients or medicaments may, therefore, be delivered at a selected interval, while other ingredients may be released at a later interval. In this way, the novel design of the multi-compartment capsules of the present invention may facilitate precision delivery of active ingredients to targeted areas of the consumer.

Problems solved by technology

The addition of such plasticizers has been found, however, to have the potential disadvantage of increasing the risk for microbial growth.

Many active ingredients or medicaments are in the form of a pharmaceutical salt and thus highly susceptible to ionization in the presence of hydrogen ions.

Furthermore, the entire daily dosage of an active or medicament may be contained in a single, sustained-release delivery vehicle (e.g., tablet or capsule), whereas the immediate absorption of the entire dosage could possibly lead to an overdosage of the medicament.

A disadvantage with prior art encapsulation technology is when the base and corresponding cap of a capsule are joined, dead space volume is typically created within the internal periphery of the capsule.

In many circumstances the different physical forms or phases of more than one active ingredient or medicament may not, however, be suitably combined or mixed together without altering their individual desirable properties, shelf-life, consistency, potency and the like.

Providing active ingredients or medicaments in separate capsules may also be undesirable, since it increases the number of capsules a patient or consumer would need to handle and take.

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